From: eripe.dk@gmail.com   
      
   Hi   
      
   I must first refer to the discussion of old, "There aint no stealth in space"   
   When you light that candle anyone within line of sight can see it using only   
   eyeball 101.   
   A few IR cameras in orbit will see any rocket plume worthy of taking people to   
   orbit, so you best bet is to take off from somewhere where the rocket cant be   
   intercepted.   
      
   Now, if the enemy has a fine masked network of defense satellites / high   
   altitude planes with lasers it may be impossible to escape, but you didn't   
   tell us where they were running to?   
      
   I don't think you need a small country to hide it. A container vessel or oil   
   tanker is big enough to hide a rocket construction site and sail to launch   
   location.   
      
   Do forget about the balloon. I did the math once and you only save a few   
   percent of the fuel needed to get to LEO. In return you add a lot of   
   complexity, its simpler (and therefore better) to just make the rocket bigger.   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)